Sanitary cover for toilet seats



Dec. 31, 1935. w w DUNNELL 2,025,941

SANITARY COVER FOR TOILET SEATS Filed Feb. 11, 1935 [72: van t or, W arren WDarzneZZ,

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Patented Dec. 31, 1935 PATENT. OFFICE SANITARY COVER FOR TOILET sEA'rs Warren W. Dunnell, Los Angeles, Calif. Application February 11, 1935, Serial No. 5,892

7 Claims.

In this specification, and the accompanying drawing, I shall describe and show preferred forms of my invention, and specifically mention certain of its more important objects. I do not limit myself to the forms disclosed, since various changes and adaptations may be made therein without departing from the essence of my invention as hereinafter claimed; and objects and advantages, other than those specifically mentioned, are included within its scope.

' My invention relates to sanitary covers for toilet-seats, and particularly to features of such covers that facilitate theirready disposal after use. Among the more important objects of my invention are; first, to provide an improved toiletseat cover that, after being used, may be disposed of with great certainty by merely flushing the toilet, and without any handling; second, to furnish a toilet-seat cover as to which the best method of using will be clearly apparent to anyone at a glance; and, third, to supply an exceedingly simple article of this nature that embodies the aforesaid features, and that may be dispensed and handled with the utmost convenience.

My objects are attained in the manner illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure 1 is a face or plan view of a typical form of my invention, that is adapted for being dispensed from a package;

Figure 2 is a face or plan view of the article shown in Fig. 1, after it has been folded for use in such a package;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of a complete package of such articles, the package being adaptable for insertion in simple containers of many well known forms, or for being simply attached to a wall;

Figure 4 is an elevation of a rolled continuous sheet that is transversely perforated at intervals, to form a large plurality of separable toilet-seat covers that embody the features of my invention and Figure 5 is a side elevation of a toilet bowl with my seat cover applied thereto, certain portions of both the bowl and the seat cover being shown in central section, for convenience of illustration.

It will be understood that the proportional dimensions of the drawings have been greatly exaggerated, for the purpose of clarity. Similar reference numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

' My seat cover comprises a sheet of tissue paper, of suitable size and shape to cover a toilet-seat intended to dispense the covers from a package,

with ample margin, as shown at 6. Where it is the cover preferably is made of a shape that roughly approximates that of the toilet seat, as shown in Fig. 1. Where the dispensing is to be from a continuous roll, the individual separable covers are preferably rectangular, as shown in 5 Fig. 4.

In both forms of the sheet, there is a central portion 1 that is partially severed from the sheet by means of curvilinear cuts 8, so that it can form a flap to fall down into a toilet bowl 9, and be 10 long enough to extend considerably below normal level II of the water therein, as illustrated in Fig. 5. The shape and positioning of cuts 8 is such that, when flap 1 falls into the toilet bowl, the opening in the seat cover, that is thus formed, 15 will approximate in shape and position, and be somewhat'smaller in size than, the hole in the toilet seat. In this manner a complete covering .of the toilet seat is afforded, so that the person of a user cannot come into contact therewith.

The extremities of cuts 8 are sufiiciently spaced at the front of the covers, as shown at l2, to leave an amply strong integral connection between the cover and the flap, to enable the flap to pull the whole cover into the toilet bowl, after it has served 25 its purpose. Cuts 8 preferably are slightly spaced at the rear of the cover, to leave a small, and easily rupturable, integral connection l3, thus making the article somewhat easier to handle until it is to be used.

An important feature of my invention is a relatively small transverse slit or cut l4, near the rear end of flap 1. The function of this is to increase the effective pull on the flap by the action of the water, when the toilet bowl is being 5 flushed. Cut l4 preferably is made slightly curvilinear, and concave with respect to the rear end of flap 1. It is well known that the frictional resistance of flowing liquid, with respect to a contacting surface, is greatly increased by any 40 deformations in that surface. When out I4 is made curvilinear as just described, the flow of the flushing water over the surface of flap 1 will throw up an edge of the cut, to form a small, but very effective, "feather l5, as shown in Fig. 5. 45 This feather will be strongly pressed upon by the flowing water, and thus greatly increase the pull that will be exerted upon the main portion of the cover by the flap. Thus a relatively strong force may be exerted to quickly pull the whole cover into the toilet bowl, at practically the same instant that the flushing starts.

When the covers that have been described are to be dispensed from a pack, it is preferable to fold them upon the line I 6, and turn them upside Finally a pair of suitable pins [9, or fasteners of the well known McGill type, may be passed through all of the covers and thebacking sheet, to hold the covers in place in the pack until it is desired to pull them out one at a time. Pins l9 may be passed through pre-formed holes 2| in the covers, or they may be merely forced through the material of the covers and the backing sheet after the elements of the pack are assembled.

In either case, the pins are located near the edges of the covers, and preferably near inwardly directed marginal portigns 22 thereof, so that the covers may easily be pulled free from the pack by rupturing the material of the covers at the margins adjacent to the pins.

The pack just described is adapted for use in many standard forms of containers, and may even be used with a thin fiat rack bar, similar to ordinary curtain racks. In the latter case the pack would be applied to the rack bar by slipping it over the latter, the bar being between the backing sheet and the cover seat that is next thereto. A very simple method of installing such a pack, is to provide the backing sheet with perforate tabs 23, so that it may be hung upon, or nailed to, a wall. 4

When it is desired to dispense the covers from a roll, in the manner indicated in Fig. 4, the roll sheet is transversely perforated, or otherwise made easily rupturable at'uniform intervals, as at 24. This allows tearing 'off individual seat covers from the roll. The prepared sheet prefer- .ably should be rolledupon a core 25 that is provided with trunnions 26, to adapt for use in ordinary fixtures.

Transverse slit M should intersect the fore and aft center line of flap I; and, Preferably, this slit should be bi-sected by said center line. In the appended claims I have used the word medial to define this location of slit l4, and to limit the position of the slit to the central portion of the flap with respect to the two sides of the latter.

Having thus fully described my invention, in a manner that will be easily understood by those familiar with the art involved, I claim:

1. A toilet-seat cover having a single integral flap portion of which the rear end is adapted to be depressed into a toilet bowl, to form an opening through the cover; said flap having a medial transverse slit therethrough near said rear end, and being adapted to extend below the normal water level in said bowl.

2. A toilet-seat cover having a single integral flap portion of which the rear end is adapted to be depressed into a toilet bowl, to form an opening through the cover; said flap having a medial transverse curvilinear slit therethrough near, and concave with respect to, said rear end, and being adapted to extend below the normal water level in said bowl.

down, in the manner indicated in Fig. 2. They can then be assembled superposed in the manner 3. A toilet-seat cover having a partially severed single flap portion of which the rear end is adapted to be'depressed into a toilet bowl, to form an opening through the cover; the flap having a medial transverse curvilinear slit therethrough 5 near, and concave with respect to, said rear end, and being adapted to extend below the normal water level in said bowl; and the front end of the flap having a substantial connection to the body portion of the cover.

4. A toilet-seat cover having a partially severed single fiap portion of which the rear end is adapted to be depressed into a toilet bowl, to form an opening through the cover; the flap having a medial transverse curvilinear slit there- 15 through near, and concave with respect to, said rear end, and being adapted to extend below the normal water level in said bowl; the rear end of the flap having a small and easily rupturable connection to the body portion of the cover; and 20 the front end of the flap having a substantial connection to the body portion of the cover.

5. A toilet-seat cover having a partially severed single fiap portion of which the rear end is adapted to be depressed into a toilet bowl, to form an 25 opening through the cover; the flap having a medial transverse curvilinear slit therethrough near, 'and concave with respect to, said rear end, and being adapted to extend far enough below the normal water level in said bowl to submerge 30 said slit; the rear end of the flap having a small and easily rupturable connection to the body portion of the cover; and the front end of the flap having a substantial connection to the body por-- tion of the cover.

6. A toilet-seat cover having a partially severed single flap portion of which the rear end is adapted to be depressed into a toilet bowl, to form an opening through the cover; the flap having a medial transverse curvilinear slit there- 40 having a substantial connection to the body por- 45 tion of the cover, permitting the cover to be pulled into the bowl by the action of the flowing water upon the flap when the bowl is being flushed.

7. A toilet-seat cover having an integral single 50 flap portion of which the rear end is adapted to be depressed into a toilet bowl, to form an opening through the cover; the flap having a medial transverse curvilinear slit therethrough near, and concave with respect to, said rear end, and being adapted to extend far enough below the normal water level in said bowl to submerge said slit; the material of the flap adjacent the edge of the curvilinear slit being adapted to be deflected by water flowing therepast, to form a feather to be acted upon by the water; and the front end of the flap having a substantial connection to the body portion of the cover, to permit of pulling the cover into said bowl by the 65 action of the flowing water upon the flap and said feather, when the bowl is being flushed. 

